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Theory & Composition

Graduate Placements

We have an outstanding record of placing our graduates in teaching positions and graduate schools across the country. Often our doctoral students are hired even before completing their degrees. If you can add to this list, please contact us.

FSU music theory and composition students and graduates and where they teach

  • Sara Balduf Adams (MM, 1999) — Madisonville Community College
  • Neil Anderson-Himmelspach (DM, 2009) — Texas Christian University
  • Rob Ash (MM, 2006) —  Pinckney High School (MI)
  • Sean Atkinson (PhD, 2009) —  Texas Christian University
  • Danny Beard (PhD, 2003) —  University of Southern Mississippi
  • Matthew Bell (MM, 2011) – Oclef School
  • Jose Bevia (DM, 2007) —  County College of Morris
  • Kathleen Biddick Smith (PhD, 2009) —  George Mason University and Northern Virginia Community College
  • Martin Blessinger (DM, 2006) — Texas Christian University
  • Michael Broder (DM, 2015) — Lee University 
  • Kyle Brown (DM, 2023) – Central Lakes College (MN)
  • Joshua Burel (DM, 2014) – University of Alabama in Huntsville
  • Kenneth Cardillo (PhD, 2008) — Chattanooga State University
  • Charlie Carroll (DM, 2024) – Trinity Preparatory School
  • Amy Carr-Richardson (PhD, 1995) — East Carolina University
  • Philip Chang (MM) — (BA, 1996) University of Colorado at Boulder
  • Juan Chattah (PhD, 2006) — University of Miami (FL)
  • Ya-Hui Cheng (PhD, 2008) — University of South Florida
  • Hon Ki Cheung (MM, 2018) – University of Texas at Austin
  • Mark Connor (DM, 2004) — Maryville University
  • Anthony Cornicello (BM, 1987) — Eastern Connecticut State University
  • Brett Clement (MM, 2004) — Ball State University
  • Lauren Hartburg Crosby (PhD, 2021) – Clemson University, previously University of Texas at Dallas
  • James David (DM, 2006) — Colorado State University
  • Greg Decker (PhD, 2011) — Bowling Green State University
  • Dave Easley (PhD, 2011) — Oklahoma City University
  • Alan Elkins (PhD, 2023) – Cleveland Institute of Music
  • Christopher Endrinal (PhD, 2008) — Florida Gulf Coast University
  • Irina Escalante (DM, 2009) — Georgia Gwinnett College and Shorter University
  • Gabe Fankhauser (PhD, 1999) — University of North Georgia
  • Scott Farrah (PhD, 2007) — Tarrant County College
  • Stanley Fink (PhD, 2020) – University of Alabama, previously Drake University
  • Megan Fogle (PhD, 2009) — Volunteer State Community College, previously Claflin University
  • Andrew Gades (PhD, 2013) — The College of Idaho
  • Ryan Garber (DM, 2000) — Carson-Newman College
  • Sarah Zipperer Gaskins (DM, 2011) — Portland Community College
  • Jose Garza (PhD, 2017) — Texas State University
  • Emily Swift Gertsch (PhD, 2013) — University of Georgia
  • Justin Giarrusso (DM, 2018) – University of South Florida
  • Don Gibson (PhD, 1983) — Florida State University (emeritus)
  • Doug Gordon (PhD, 1999) — Jacksonville State University (AL)
  • Shannon Groskreutz (PhD, 2016) — Stetson University
  • Ian Guthrie (DM, 2020) – Calvary University, previously University of Pittsburgh-Bradford
  • Nico Gutierrez (DM, 2024) – Oglethorpe University
  • Chelsey Hamm (MM, 2010) — Christopher Newport University
  • Wan Heo (MM, 2019) – Wake Forest University
  • Trevor Hofelich (PhD, 2024) – Swarthmore College
  • Jennifer McDonald Hermann (MM, 1995) — South Puget Sound Community College
  • Steve Hopkins (PhD, 1993) — Penn State University
  • Andrew Houchins (DM, 1996) — Emporia State University
  • Bryn Hughes (PhD, 2011) — University of Lethbridge (Alberta, CA)
  • Shawn Hundley (DM, 2004) — Bethune-Cookman College
  • Brian Jarvis (PhD, 2015) – University of Texas at El Paso
  • Marshall Jones (DM, 2016) – University of Arkansas, previously Flathead Valley Community College (MO)
  • Rusty Jones (BA, 1994) — Butler University
  • Robert Kelley (PhD, 2005) — Lander University
  • Doron Kima (DM, 2011) – Ono Academic College (Israel), previously University of California at Berkeley
  • Megan Lavengood (MM, 2012) — George Mason University
  • Richard Lee (PhD, 2017) — University of Georgia
  • Ya-Ting Lee (DM, 2008) – National Taipei University of Education
  • Kimberly Loeffert (PhD, 2016) — Virginia Tech, previously Oklahoma State University
  • Marc Magellan (MM, 2009) — Miami-Dade Community College
  • Scott McAllister (BA BM, 1991) — Baylor University
  • Greg McCandless (PhD, 2010) — Appalachian State University
  • James Mathes (PhD, 1986) — Florida State University (retired)
  • Jose-Luis Maurtua (DM, 1999) — Central Michigan University
  • Jeff Morris (MM, 2000) — Texas A&M University
  • Ky Nam Nguyen (DM, 2025) – Chicago High School for the Arts
  • Demi Nicks (MM, 2018) – Hunter College, CUNY
  • J. Judith Ofcarcik (PhD, 2013) — James Madison University, previously Fort Hays State University (KS)
  • Brad Osborn (MM, 2006) — University of Kansas
  • Robert Pace (MM, 2013) — Binghamton University, previously Chadron State College
  • Crystal Peebles (PhD, 2011) — Ithaca College
  • John Peterson (PhD, 2014) — James Madison University
  • Stephanie Pieczynski (DM, 2015) — University of Florida  
  • Steven Raisor (PhD, 1997) — College of the Albemarle
  • Matthew Ramage (DM, 2021) – Eastern University
  • Stephanie Rea — Murray State University
  • Mark Richardson (PhD, 1996) — East Carolina University
  • Nastassja Riley (MM, 2010) – University of Arkansas Community Music School
  • Scott Robbins (DM, 1993) — Converse College
  • Gillian Robertson (PhD, 2015) —  University of North Texas
  • Jeremy Robins (PhD, 2017) — Claflin University
  • Alexander Sanchez-Behar (PhD, 2008) — Texas A&M University at Kingsville
  • Lincoln Sandham (DM, 2021) – Slippery Rock University
  • Sarah King Sarver (PhD, 2010) — Oklahoma State University, previously Oklahoma City University
  • Andrew Selle (PhD, 2018) — Purdue University – Fort Wayne
  • Dan Shafer (MM, 2012) – Lakewood Ranch High School
  • Elizabeth Smith (PhD, 2005) — Illinois State University
  • Jayson Smith (MM, 2013) — Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas Woman’s University
  • Jennifer Smith (PhD, 2012) — Ohio University
  • Chris Steele (MM, 2006) — Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
  • Ash Stemke (DM, 2019) – Murray State University
  • Cara Stroud (PhD, 2016) – Michigan State University
  • Joshua Tanis (PhD, 2019) – University of Michigan, previously Indiana University
  • Alan Theisen (PhD, 2010) — Mars Hill College (Indiana University, Bloomington, post doc in 2010-11)
  • Danielle Thompson (PhD, 2017) – Atlas School (OK), previously University of Iowa
  • Timothy Thompson (DM, 1996) — Palm Beach Atlantic University
  • Greg Wanamaker (DM, 1996) — SUNY at Potsdam
  • Benjamin Whiting (MM, 2011) – University of South Florida
  • Jamie Whitmarsh (MM, 2014) – Oklahoma City University
  • Xuesi Xu (DM, 2022) – Black Hawk College
  • Jeff Yunek (MM, 2009) — Kennesaw State University
  • Richard Zarou (DM, 2008) — Bard Early College (Baltimore, MD)

FSU theory and composition alumni have enrolled in the following doctoral programs:

  • Bowling Green State University
  • Catholic University of America
  • City University of New York, Graduate Center
  • Columbia University
  • Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music
  • The Juilliard School
  • Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
  • University of British Columbia
  • University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Colorado-Boulder
  • University of Georgia
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of North Carolina, Greensboro
  • University of North Texas
  • University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music
  • University of Texas at Austin
  • University of Washington
  • Yale University